The situation in which the National Army is now is bothersome and the problems of state security can no longer be left in the hands of current Minister of Defense Anatol Salaru, members of the Federation of Police Veterans and Reservists said in a news conference at IPN. These consider that the troops of the Russian army, which stay on Moldova’s territory, and the war in Ukraine are only some of the dangers threatening the country’s security and in such circumstances the National Army plays the key role in ensuring the country’s security.
A number of veterans of the 1992 war and founders of the National Army consider that a process of destroying the armed forces started when Anatol Salaru was named minister of defense. Ex-first deputy minister of defense, General Nicolae Petrica said that the best officers were groundlessly and illegally dismissed during six months, while others were even discharged from military service.
The General noted that the current minister of defense dispossesses the National Army of armament systems and other tangible assets. “Minister Anatol Salaru had a special interest in illegally selling the anti-aircraft rocket systems S-125 M1 “Neva”. As a result, damage of over US $30 million was caused to the state and the capacity to protect Moldova’s airspace was seriously affected,” stated Nicolae Petrica.
He also said that after Anatol Salaru was appointed, the National Army commander, General Igor Gorgan has been pressed to leave his post so that this could be occupied by Colonel Eduard Ohladciuc, who is the minister’s cousin. The army is demoralized, the personnel are split and the army cannot be thus developed. Such actions are taken with the aim of destroying the Republic of Moldova as a state. “Salaru, as the whole Liberal Party, pursues one goal – to destroy Moldova as a state and to bring NATO here. They want to decide our country’s fate by someone else’s hands, which is that Moldova will join Romania and will disappear as a state and NATO will come to bring things in Transnistria in order,” said Nicolae Petrica.
Ex-deputy minister of defense Ana Vasilache expressed her concern about the fact that an increasing number of servicemen leave the army or are moved from one post to another. Vasilache, who was earlier responsible for the social protection of servicemen, said the military now cannot benefit from tickets to health resorts, as earlier.
Colonel Ion Covali, former deputy head of the General Staff of the National Army, considers that the situation of the armed forces is worrisome and can lead to disorder and can also affect national security. He is one of the last officers who were dismissed. Most of the officers were fired due to particular ambitions of the minister, while most of those who were named to posts in the National Army are incompetent.
The National Army veterans called on the President of Moldova, the administration of Parliament and the Government to take measures to stop the process of destroying the National Army and to bring the illegalities of Minister Anatol Salaru to an end.
